There's a Hole in My Bucket
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"There's a Hole in My Bucket" is a children's song, along the same lines as "Found a Peanut". A popular version of the song was recorded by Harry Belafonte and Odetta.
The song incorporates an infinite-loop motif. In order to fix the leaky bucket, one needs straw. To cut straw, one needs an axe. To sharpen the axe, one needs a stone. In order to wet the stone, one needs water. But when asked how one would get the water, the answer is "in a bucket" (implied to mean the only one available – the leaky bucket which, if it could carry water, wouldn't be in need of repair in the first place).
[edit] Lyrics
The opening lyrics are as follows (the most common mention Henry and Liza):
- Henry: There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza, There's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, a hole.
- Liza: Well fix it dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry, well fix it dear Henry, dear Henry, fix it
- Henry: With what shall I fix it, dear Liza, dear Liza, with what shall I fix it, dear Liza, with what?
- Liza: With straw, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry, with straw, dear Henry, dear Henry, with straw.
This goes on in the same format with different lines:
- But the straw is too long.
- Then cut it.
- With what shall I cut it?
- With a knife
- But the knife is too dull.
- Well sharpen it
- With what shall I sharpen it?
- With a stone
- But the stone is too dry
- Then wet it
- With what shall I wet it?
- With the water
- But where shall I get it?
- In the well
- With what shall I fetch it?
- With the bucket
From this point on the song continues from the beginning.
[edit] Possible origins
In George Korson's "Pennsylvania Songs and Legends" (1949) there is a song
- Wann der Tschock awer en Loch hot
- Liewer Heindrich Liewer Heindrich,
- Wann der Tschock a wer en Loch hot?
- Dummer Ding, dann schtopp'n zu!
(translation)
- When the jug has a hole
- Dear Henry, dear Henry
- When the jug has a hole
- Stupid thing, then stop it up!
This was collected in 1940, and is earlier than any known English-language version. This suggests that it might be a traditional "Pennsylvania Dutch" (i.e. German) song. Ed McCurdy recorded it in 1958 on "Children's Songs". Harry Belafonte recorded it with Odetta in 1960. It was in the UK charts in 1961. In Pete Seeger's book "Where Have All the Flowers Gone" (1993) he claims it was originally a German song, "Lieber Heinrich". "Songs Along the Mahantongo: Pennsylvania Dutch Folksongs" (1951), by Boyer, Buffington, & Yoder, has a version
- Was soll ich koche, liewer Heinrich,
- Liewer Heinrich, liewer Heinrich?
- Was soll ich koche, liewer Heinrich,
- Was Dann?
These German-American versions all have Henry as the stupid questioner, and Lisa as the common-sense woman. However in the German collection of songs "Bergliederbuchlein" (c 1700) there is a very similar song, but with Liese as the stupid woman, and the un-named man as the sensible one.
- Wenn der Beltz em Loch hat—
- stop es zu meine liebe Liese—
- Womit soll ich es zustopfen—
- mit Stroh, meine liebe Liese—
(translation)
- When the jug has a hole - Stop it up my dear Liese
- With what shall I stop it - with straw my dear Liese
The song in its best-known form is referenced as far back as 1949 in The Rev W Awdry's story Thomas Goes Fishing from the book Tank Engine Thomas Again. When Thomas and his crew stop at a river bridge to fill his tank with water (the tank at the station being out of order) they are having to do so with a leaky bucket. The fireman begins to sing the song but is interrupted by the driver who urges him to forget about Liza and empty the bucket before any water is spilled over him.
